Torn
by Buffyfan1973
Summary: Tara's coming to Sunnydale has a reason, suppose the one she loves is that reason. complete


Torn

by Buffyfan19973,

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: The great Mr. Whedon owns it all, I make no money off of this...all made up characters are mine and any other characters belong to their rightful owners.

Summary: Tara's coming to Sunnydale has a reason, suppose the one she loves is that reason.

Part 1, Falling In Love

Tara sat at the Espresso Pump one night. She'd been in Sunnydale for two weeks, was to begin class at UC Sunnydale and still hadn't found what she was looking for.

She imagined what her grandmother had told her of when she was ten, the dark one, and what her mother prepared her for, stopping the dark one at any cost, before her

death a year ago would come to pass. Tara, however didn't know if she could do this, didn't know if she was the one with the power to do such a thing. She also feared she didn't have it in her to do harm to someone if necessary no matter if they were evil.

She glanced up from looking through her class schedule for the umpteenth time to see a sad looking redhead walk in. Upon further glance, Tara saw the most beautiful emerald eyes she'd ever seen. Of course she quickly looked away out of shyness and not wanting to get caught staring.

Tara had always known she was a lesbian but her shy nature kept her dating life at almost a stand-still. So she just usually sat and watched the world and people go

on without her. She wished she weren't that way but years of family trauma caused it and she feared she'd ask someone who wasn't even interested in girls out then she'd be so crushed and embarrassed. So why put herself through that, if they liked her they'd take initiative she hoped.

- - - - - - - -

Oz had just been gone a week, Willow was miserable and just knew her life would never be the same, no more dates, no nothing. Then she wondered if maybe all this was wrong from the get go. Sure she cared for Oz, but was it just part of her need to be special and be cared for that drew her to him. The status it gave her to date a musician?

Not that that's the only reason she'd dated him but her soul searching the last few weeks was telling her she only felt important when she was doing a spell or hanging

with Oz, it made her feel special to know a musician. Nevertheless, whatever the reason, he was gone, she was sad; she missed him, cared for him yet hated him for

hurting her so, cheating on her was sure a fine way to let her know things weren't quite right.

She shook her head as she walked into the Espresso Pump then she saw them. The most beautiful sapphire colored eyes she'd ever seen. She just couldn't help but continue stealing glances at them and to beat all, these eyes belonged to a girl. A girl with pretty blond hair that sprayed down hiding her face and her eyes would be hid as well if she hadn't have moved her hair away to eat her sandwich.

Oh Goddess, I'm staring at a girl, she thought as more babble thoughts went racing through her head. Why am I staring, what is with this and come to think of it, didn't I used to watch Buffy slay, Faith dance, oh Goddess, am I, am I? She looked away then back again this time smiling and waving trying to act casual. When the girl returned a shy warm beautiful smile Willow felt as if she would drop. She knew right there, she liked this girl and tried to gain the courage to walk over

and say hello.

- - - - - - - - -

Tara felt a wave of Anxiety wash over her like a big jumping ocean wave when she saw the pretty redhead walking her way. She tried hard to relax herself but knew it was no use and waited for the embarrassing inability to communicate well to take over if the girl should speak. "Hi, I'm Willow," she said in a small sweet tentative voice as she held out her hand.

"I'm Tara," Tara stammered as she shook Willow's hand hoping the girl wouldn't feel the nervousness that she had to fight to keep her hands from shaking.

As Tara motioned Willow to sit down she stood to refill her drink gesturing to see if Willow would like one. Willow however, was busy, now she knew she'd caught a glimpse of the girl before, at the wiccan group maybe, or leaving the group at least because she would've known right off if she stayed. Great, she thought, another one of those so called wiccans who only care about bake sales.

As Tara returned with their drinks Willow smiled as if to say thanks. "So," she ventured. "Do you go to UC Sunnydale? I think I saw you somewhere before."

Tara thought for a moment of where she could have seen her. She really didn't get out much, hadn't made but a couple friends, wasn't big on social events and knew she didn't have a class with her. "Yes," she answered quietly.

"Are you in any groups or clubs?" Willow asked trying not to seem to curious.

"I was," Tara said shuffling her feet looking down at the floor. "It wasn't quite what I expected so I decided not to go."

"I was in one of those," Willow said figuring she was right so her confidence built up. "It was a wiccan group only they really weren't into Wiccan and so I only went

to two meetings."

Tara smiled; she rather enjoyed the babbling of the redhead. "That's the group I was in," she stuttered slightly as she spoke. "I guess I left before you joined."

"So you're into spells and such?" Willow asked a touch of excitement in her voice.

"Yeah," Tara said shyly. She'd never been open about her magic tendencies as most people thought it was crazy and all fake.

"For how long?" Willow asked gleefully.

"Since I can remember, my mother taught me a lot." Tara said smiling seeing the excitement in the redhead's eyes.

"Wow, I've never had anyone help me learn stuff. So I usually mess up everything I try." Willow said making a pouty face.

"I could help you sometime. I mean, if you want." Tara stammers looking out the window.

"That'd be great," Willow says happily.

- - - - - -

Three days after their first meeting and a couple more short visits for lunch, coffee and the like, Tara sat in her room waiting. Willow was coming over tonight and Tara was very nervous. She'd found herself growing more and more attracted to the girl but she figured a

pretty girl like that wouldn't give her a second look plus the fact she'd mentioned a guy named Oz that she'd had a bad break up with. So that probably meant she wasn't even gay.

Willow knocked nervously on the door, she'd been nervous all day in fact. She was slowly realizing she liked a girl, and then it set in that she'd always been attracted to girls. This was all hard for her to deal with but something told her she had to do it quickly because Tara would be the light she'd been missing in her life since, well forever.

Tara opened the door giving a shy smile as she stepped aside to let Willow in. Willow's nerves quickly went away as she scanned the room which had text books, candles, herbs, and other witch craft related items including spell books. "Wow, you've got a lot of stuff here." She beamed pointing to a book.

"Yeah, that's my mom's book of shadows," Tara said pointing for Willow to sit down if she'd like.

"Oh wow, that's neat," Willow was very excited now. She'd known about people's books of shadows. They were sacred in that they contained spells, solutions and other important things to the spell caster who wrote them. She hoped one day to have a book of her own like that. She so wanted to get a look at it but dared not ask. After all they barely knew each other so Tara must hold this book close to her heart and surely wouldn't show it to an almost stranger.

Tara took two Pepsi's out of the mini-fridge handing Willow one before sitting on the bed next to her. "Willow," she said softly. "I think I see your problem, I mean why you sometimes mess up spells."

"Sometimes," Willow said smiling hoping Tara could help her with this. She wanted so badly to do things right, to help Buffy, to feel important. "That's an understatement; I screw up everything that doesn't have to do with class or computers."

"Because when you get all excited your energy fragments all over the place. Spells excite you and they take concentrated energy to work right. So you've got to learn

to focus your energy." Tara said with no stutter in her voice. She truly understood Willow's lack of confidence in herself, she lacked in it in every category but magic.

"Ok so how do I concentrate or focus my energy?" Willow asked smiling. She was in envy of the shy blond, she knew far more about magic than Willow ever would or so

she thought.

"Practice," Tara said picking up a pencil and laying it on the bed. "Watch." She focused on the pencil till it began to rise in the air, in a perfect straight line it floated across the room then back down to the bed. "Now, look at the pencil, concentrate hard on where you want it to go and don't get distracted or think of what you can be floating next week. The here and now is what you need to focus on, ok?" Tara said softly.

"Ok," Willow said realizing how much Tara's soft warm voice calmed and soothed her. She really was beginning to like everything about the blond and began to wonder what it would be like to have Tara hold her. It would be so relaxing she just knew. Damn it Rosenberg, she said concentrate on the pencil, you've got to do this, to show her you're a good student which is probably all she thinks of you anyway.

Willow focused hard on the pencil, and then slowly it began to rise. After a short time it began to spin. Tara placed her hand on Willow's arm. "Relax Willow, you can do it, you're a very special person, I can feel it in your energy."

The second Tara touched her arm Willow felt something electricity go through her and something told her that was in no way magic. She began to relax though and the pencil straightened up and hung in midair till she brought it back down to the bed. "Look Tara," she squealed happily. "I actually did it."

Tara smiled at Willows jubilant face. "See just practice and time. I'll be glad to help you any way I can Willow."

"Do you really think I'm special? Because I think you're the one that's special." Willow said in a small high-pitched voice. A voice that Tara was growing more and more to like.

"Maybe we both are," Tara blushed having never considered herself special.

They sat there smiling looking into each other's eyes then it just happened, they shared their first kiss. Willow knew as soon as the kiss finished this was the one for her, this was the person who'd love her unconditionally, who'd spend her days and nights with her, she'd found love and was finally learning what the word love truly meant thanks to this shy woman with big dancing blue eyes.

Part 2, Revelation

Tara and Willow had been dating a month now. They'd had some lovely nights, movies, dinner; dancing in a gay bar just on the edge of town and all was going well. Today was the day Willow planned to tell her friends why she was beaming with joy more than she ever had before. She smiled nervously pondering what they'd do and say as she rolled over snuggling against Tara.

She loved these times, the early morning hours as the sun was just winding its way through the window, not to bright yet not to dim. That was just an added bonus however that came with getting to snuggle against Tara. Willow loved draping herself over the blond who would wrap her arms around her holding her close and making her feel loved, special and safe.

All her life the only time she felt liked, important, and or special in any way was when she did a spell right, when she dated a musician, when she got better grades than others. She was always having to work, to add a facet to herself to feel liked and special. With Tara though, she could be Willow, just plain old Willow, the geek, the girl no one liked yet she felt special as just plain old Willow because Tara made her feel that way. She accepted her no matter how she was and for that Willow would be more grateful than Tara could ever know.

Tara mumbled something as she stretched slowly waking up to a soft kiss on her forehead. "Good morning Tara," Willow said hugging her tightly smiling a half grin.

"Morning Willow," Tara said placing a gentle kiss on the lips of her love, the girl she knew was her soul mate. "Before we get to comfy here we should get up, shower, have breakfast, class then off to meet your friends?" Tara suggested questioningly as Willow danced her fingertips across her cheek before kissing her.

"It all sounds complicated. I'm excited but a little nervous and a little worried." Willow admitted.

"Why are you worried? You're not ready to come out?" Tara said hoping that wasn't the case. She'd never hid her sexuality but understood Willow needed time. She just hoped she didn't need more because she couldn't wait to show her love to the world.

"No it's not that at all Tara honest. I'm just used to having you all to myself and I know my friends will like you and well they might steal time from me. I know it's selfish but I've never had anything or anyone to call my own. I had Oz but his music was first and he gave me sort of a name, now with you, I don't need a name because see, you're mine and I'm yours and I don't need anything like social status because I have everything with you and," Tara kisses her gently to stop the babbling which she so loved.

"Willow, I am all yours baby. No one will ever gain priority over you on my list. Don't be nervous." She pulls her close and they kiss several times before begrudgingly getting up to start the day.

- - - - - - -

Later that evening Willow walked into the magic box where Buffy, Riley, Giles, Xander, and Anya sat impatiently. "Hey Willow what's so important that you kept us waiting an hour?" Anya asked with disapproval showing on her face.

"I need to talk to you all and it's something really big." Willow stated nervously.

"All right, spill it then," Xander said leaning back in his chair munching on some cookies.

"Well I'm waiting," just then the door opened and everyone looked at the blond who walked in shuffling her feet and looking at the floor.

"Great this means we have to wait till the customers leave," Buffy said impatiently knowing they had pressing matters to attend to such as the Initiative.

"Buffy don't be so rude," Riley said rising to shake Tara's hand. He'd seen her once or twice as he'd helped hang up the posters for the lesbian club at the college. He'd thought she was gay but she seemed to shy away from everyone so he didn't assert himself to go speak to her and find out. "Hi," he said cheerfully remembering how his cousin Pat was so shy at first before the family found out she was lesbian and how he'd tried to help her through the hard times lesbians sometimes face.

"Hi," Tara said timidly recognizing him from the poster hanging day she'd witnessed earlier in the school year.

"Ok guys I'm just going to say this. I've been so happy lately, more than ever before. I found someone who makes me feel special without me having to do anything or prove myself." Willow began determined to just plow on through this fast and to the point. "Look, I'm gay and Tara is my girlfriend."

Xander's eyes bugged out as he processed the thoughts. Buffy's jaw dropped to the ground as Giles tried to keep his stoic look. "Well that's a revelation," Anya said

smacking Xander on the arm knowing what he was pondering. "Will, you're, well," Buffy looked at her best friend. "I, um, wow." She looked out the window.

Giles rose and shook Tara's hand. "It's nice to meet you Tara." He said clearing his throat.

"You too," she stammered noticing some in the room seemed a bit uncomfortable. All was silent for a moment and Tara placed her hand on Willow's knowing the girl

had to be nervous and uncomfortable. She wished all of this would be easier but knew it wouldn't have much of a chance. In fact, Tara thought, this was easier than most coming out sessions she'd heard of including her own.

She drifted back to that day when she told her parents. Her mother understood as she was with everything Tara did but her father, well it became another abuse excuse. She gathered herself back into present thoughts as she heard Willow finish saying something about hoping things wouldn't change between them all because she was gay.

Buffy formed a smile hugging her friend. "It was a little shocking Will but I'm ok and you'll always be my friend." They broke from the hug as Giles stood.

"Now then, we've got Adam to deal with. We're certain he's behind the Walsh murder." Riley shook his head in confirmation. "Riley, you're sure you're with us totally?" Giles enquired further.

"Yes sir," he said smiling at his girlfriend. "I'm ready to help."

"Very good then." He said handing Willow an envelop. "Some disks are in here, this is your end. Buffy and Riley will do a search of local places, demons, and people and see what they can find. You see into decoding these and we'll meet back here tomorrow with hopefully a plan."

- - - - - - - -

After three hours Willow had decoded one of the disks, it had maps, documents and such on it so she concluded the others were decoy disks. Tara came in with food and they ate. "I'm glad they took it so well," Willow said leaning over and kissing her lover.

"So am I," Tara said hugging her. "What's that?"

"Oh, I wanted to try a quick demon locator spell," she pointed where she had a makeshift map drawn in sand on the floor. "If you think I'm ready that is but if not we can try another time. I just figured it might help Buffy and the gang."

Tara smiled kissing Willow. "We can give it a shot, just don't get to down on yourself if it doesn't work."

They prepare for the spell and both begin their portions of the incantation. As the sand grows bright where the school is, Tara feels something. It's like a dark force looming near. "Willow," she says standing. "We did it, I'm sure you'll want to let Buffy know."

"Right," Willow reaches for the phone not seeing Tara's confusion. She tells Buffy everything then convinces Tara she doesn't mind if she stays so they snuggle in for sleep after kissing awhile.

As Willow slept Tara's head swarmed with thoughts of her destiny and the dark feeling. She just knew it couldn't be Willow; she would push the thought out of her mind and find a way to search for the owner of the dark force. Yet a nagging feeling kept creeping inside her till she felt as if she were going to choke and finally as the clock struck 04:00 AM she drifted into a restless troubled sleep.

Part 3 Shaky foundations"

Tara's eyes opened quickly one morning as the sun beamed brightly through the window. She could have sworn she heard something, a sound that seemed to be her grandmother's voice. "She's filled with the first, ready to unleash rage. You must do it Tara." The voice said sternly and she knew what it was talking about.

She rolled over gently moving a stray strand of hair out of her love's eyes as Willow mumbled and moved closer to Tara. "I love you Willow," she said in a gentle voice which woke the redhead up immediately and she kissed Tara's nose smiling.

"I love you too Tara." She said stretching not wanting to get up but knowing she had to, class then to get ready to see if they could catch up with and destroy Adam before he harmed anyone else.

- - - - - - - - - -

In the early afternoon Adam gathered some of his troops, in particular one, a sorceress named Gale who seemed prepared to do something major for him. "Are you ready?"

"Yes sir," she said smiling. "Come midnight tonight Ms. Rosenberg will be in the alter Sunnydale, see her lover be killed, just enough for the first to take power then we'll put her back here. By that time she'll be to far gone to realize her beloved is right here."

- - - - - - - -

"So everyone has their jobs memorized and ready to go?" Giles asked as the gang sat around eating and drinking with books in front of them as well as maps.

"I'm ready." Willow beamed noticing Tara had been rather quiet for the entire evening. "Tara, can we talk a sec?" Willow said standing to head for the training room and Tara followed. "What's wrong baby?" Willow asked putting her arms around her kissing her.

"It's nothing," Tara said looking at the floor, she'd always been a terrible liar and the case was certainly not any different this time.

"Tara, are you keeping something from me?" Willow asked with a hurt look on her face. The two women had agreed everything should be kept in the open. Secrets only damaged a relationship and both wanted to do all they could to keep theirs going on a good foundation.

"I just had a disturbing dream Willow," Tara said trying to relax herself and her girlfriend. "My grandmother, she was telling me that someone was filled with the first, whatever that is and ready to unleash its rage." Willow's face went white. She hadn't had any dealings personally with the first but remembered all too well Buffy's description of what it was capable of.

"Tara, we need to tell the others, this is big, the first is pure evil, and it's the embodiment of what evil is. It's the reason evil exists." Willow stated moving around a bit quickly to help emphasize the severity of the situation.

Tara choked back the tears from her eyes. How would she ever tell Willow, this cute, smiling girl who'd loved her so much that she was harboring the first and that Tara, having no inkling as to when the first would show itself, was the one supposed to stop it even if it meant destroying the vessel. How would she admit she'd kept this secret from Willow, of her destiny and of whom she thought was the one she was trained to perform this destiny on? She'd kept it from herself for awhile, since she first felt the darkness, something nagged at her telling her it was Willow but she ignored. Even this morning when her grandmother spoke to her, she denied it. She was, in a way, still denying it but knew the truth deep down.

She couldn't do it anymore; she couldn't carry this secret around with her nor withhold the truth from the one she loved more than anything. As the tears began to trickle from her eyes she stood and told Willow the entire story as best she knew it. She didn't look at Willow when she was finished nor did she see Giles had stepped through the doorway during her outpouring of the entire sad truth.

"Tara, if you think I'm this evil monster, why did you go out with me? Was it all a trick?" Willow's eyes showed the hurt within as the tears became a fountain and Giles rushed to her to comfort.

"Willow, it's not like that, I," Giles looked at Tara in a dismissing way so she turned and left.

- - - - - - - -

At about 8 PM Tara had gone through all her notes, all her books and still there was only one way. She must get the hellmouth open and drive the vessel into it, closing it thus locking the first inside for ever. Or until the end of time at least. She placed the last book down with frustration and sadness written all over her face when a knock came to the door. She got up to open it and was shocked to see Buffy standing there with mocha's. "Hey Tara, we need to talk." Buffy said stepping around the blond not waiting for an invite.

"Look I'm sorry, I swear I'm telling the truth." Tara stammered out as Buffy sat down.

"Relax Tara, I don't know why but I believe you. The first can't do anything on its own; it has to get someone to do it for it. It can appear as those who've died though. Tara, I saw the thing, I saw what it can do and how evil it is. So putting two and two together I'm guessing its ultimate goal is to achieve corporeal form and take over the world as we know it." Buffy stuck out her lip in disgust as she finished speaking.

"Yes that's its goal," Tara confirmed somberly. "There is only one way to stop it." She finished speaking as she handed Buffy the book open to the page she needed.

Buffy frowned as she finished reading. "This must be hard for you Tara. I know what it's like to be chosen." She sits the book down pulling Tara into a hug.

"Buffy I can't do it, I love her. Willow is good, I can not destroy her. I know she hates me now for keeping this from her but I still can't do it. I love her to much." Tara stammered greatly as she spoke through her tears. "I'm not strong like you Buffy, I just can't."

Buffy drifted in thought for a brief moment, she knew how she felt about Willow and at times wished she'd said something sooner but wouldn't do it now for anything. She held Tara in high regard and knew they were right for each other. She also knew that, yes she killed Angel and sent him to hell because it was her duty, but she couldn't do it to Willow either. "Then, Tara, we'll find another way. So snap out of this and let's get busy." She said kicking into her slayer resolve which had, thus far, been unstoppable.

part 4, The First

It is just before midnight; Willow is sitting alone, missing Tara but still hurting over what she'd done. She mulled everything over in her mind, why did Tara keep this from her, why did she not tell her she thought she was evil, how could she do this to her?

- - - - - - - -

Buffy and Tara sat looking at some books having come up with nothing thus far. Suddenly Buffy jumped to her feet thrusting the book into Tara's hands. It read:

In order for the First Evil, the one who makes all evil exist, the one who can not be destroyed but only beaten back, to obtain corporeal form, (that is to be able to be touched), it must find a weak mind, a soul desiring to do good and having magical abilities. It must get into the mind and lead the magical journey of the unsuspecting person before the person comes into the knowledge of the craft. Once it obtains corporeal

form, it can physically take over the world, bringing forth all forms of creatures of the night to spread evil round about the world.

Over a thousand years ago the powers that be selected one person, in the future, who'd have the abilities to stop the first. She is the counteraction to the first and she alone can destroy it in corporeal form.

As they finished reading both girls have a concerned look on their face. "So that's where killing Willow comes into play according to my grandmother." Tara explained exhaling a long breath.

"There has to be another way Tara," Buffy said picking up the book and racing out the door with Tara behind her. "Think while we head to Willow's. Don't fall apart on me now."

- - - - - - - -

Willow was walking down a street. It was dimly lit and empty. She got an eerie feeling as she turned to the dorm where Tara was living. She saw a man outside the window and began moving faster, but was too late, the shot was fired. She raced into the building on pure adrenalin panicking at the thought of what she'd find inside. Tara it can't be, she thought as she pushed open the door and saw the pretty blond laying in a pool of blood. She dropped to the floor next to the woman and screamed tears filling her eyes. Her mind felt tortured and darkness welled up inside, a rage that wanted to kill.

- - - - - - -

Buffy and Tara burst into the dorm room Buffy shared with Willow. They saw her sitting there as if in a catatonic state. "Oh God its happening!" Buffy shouted racing to her best friend.

Tara stood quietly looking at Willow, remembering what her grandmother said, how she'd have to destroy the vessel who housed the first in order to stop the end of days as everyone knew them. A tear trickled down her eyes as Willow's opened; they were pure black, evil, as she threw Buffy across the room. "This is her destiny, she doesn't live here anymore." The first hissed rising.

"You're not leaving this room." Buffy said as a sharp sword protruded from Willow's arm swiping at her causing her to step back. "You won't get away with this!" She concluded angrily as she looked over at Tara.

Tara raised her hand speaking in Latin and a white light filled the room in compassing her in a bubble. "Ready to kill your lover?" The first hissed at the trembling wiccan.

"Willow doesn't live there," Tara shot back as the two exchanged magical blows which looked like large beams of electricity and shook the building to its foundations. Tara shot Buffy a look as she knocked the body which housed the first in the head hard. Willow's body hit the floor with a thud but the evil blackness still surrounded her. "I don't think we have much time, do whatever you had planned and hurry!" Buffy

shouted racing to Tara's side.

"Right, listen if you see this isn't working, stab me and I can make it come through her body. It'll kill us both but it's our only chance." Tara said as she closed her eyes and began to project out of her body.

She concentrated hard on Willow and her aura till she found herself standing at the edge of her room, with Willow's being huddled in a corner next to Tara's very own body. "Oh my Goddess," Tara raced to the sobbing Wiccan. "Willow hun, that's not me, I'm right here." Tara said but her words only made Willow huddle up and shutter

more.

"You're dead Tara, it's my fault. I'm evil, it's all me," Willow cried harder as Tara neared her.

"No it isn't Willow. I was sent here to destroy the first, I had no idea it was living inside you Willow I swear. I can't kill it because I'd have to kill you and I care too much for you to do that. I'm not as strong as Buffy, I just can't do it."

Willow looked up into the soft blue pools that were Tara's eyes. "You don't want to hurt me?" She asked in a small mouse like voice.

"No Willow I love you but we've got to fight it back and get it out of you or it will use you to destroy the world as we know it." Tara said embracing the being who was her love who now looked relieved, stronger and ready to win.

- - - - - - -

Buffy stood protectively over Tara's body when she saw Willow's eyes open, pure black but deep within only visible to a slayer she was certain, she saw specks of green

trying to get through. She ran over to Willow's body, but the first shot her back. She leapt into the air getting a good kick in before the first got a barrier up. "You know you're not all big and bad!" Buffy hissed. "I've fought worse than your ass and here you're supposed to be the leader." She continued taunting causing the first to shatter the two lamps in the room in anger.

As it yelled at her how she was going to be defeated and she wasn't worthy of her title she sat down with another idea. She closed her eyes and began to meditate, concentrating on strengthening Willow, giving her the energy she needed to come back out with Tara thus breaking the chains the first held over her.

As buildings shook, demons roared and the streets trembled the pools of green in the eyes began to strengthen. Buffy watched this, saw the running tap water turning from blood red back to its normal color and was determined to only send more strength.

Finally like a deafening scream, everything stopped. The first in all its evil literally came out through Willow's mouth and was gone. Buffy hugged her tightly, kissed her cheek then went hugging Tara before she left the room.

- - - - - - -

"So this was your destiny?" Willow asked as Tara helped the weak wiccan to her feet and into the bathroom.

"Yes Willow and I understand if we can't get back what we were building." Tara said trying to not let her sadness show.

"I love you Tara," Willow said throwing her arms tightly around the blond. "I understand and now we can start over, you've done your job."

Tara kissed Willow several times. "Yeah I did, now I'm free, no more being torn between love and duty."

The End


End file.
